Method of patching automobile inner tubes



May 19, 1.953 1 M. EvERE'rT, SR 2,638,961 METHOD oF PATCHING AuToMoxIm-z` iNNER TUBES Y Filed oct. '25, 195o r2 sheets-sheet 1 ci f 32 yy l ur/1ER A/l. fverezz, 5R.

` INVENTOR.

A TTRNE Y May 19,1953 l.. M. EVE'RETT, SR 2,638,961 METHOD 0F PATCHLNG AUTOMOBILE INNERl yTuBis v v Filed oct. 25, 15950 v,2 sheets-smelt 2 ar/15@ M. EVE/; 77;' we

IN V EN TOR.

A TTRNE Y Patented May 19, `1953 INNER TUBES ,Intim 5M. Everett, sr., Dalias, Tex., assign@ to' Better Monkey Grip Company, Dallas, Tex., vil..

corporationpf Texas Applicaticn'cctober '23, 1950, sei-.iai No. 191Mo This invention .is co coined with the patching of automobile inner ti'ibes and other rubber V4articles and is particnlarly'c'onoeined 'the anethod of --patching fs'uch iarticles by 'fvulcanizing and a vulcanizing patch employed for such `purpose.

vinlcanizing patches employed 'in :the past have been marketed in packages containing .a 4number 4ci individual V:ui-lits, cach linitb'eing ready Sfor application to an innerltheior other arti-cle lof rubber material for the 'purpose of patching .an opening,y puncture l:or rupture in "the rubber .ma-

teriaL Each .patch unit comprises a metallic pan or platen on ithe under .eide o'i which is 'empl-acted a i'uel board made of a composition of paper pulp and chemicals which is easily ignitible .and burns relatively :slow-ly :and evenly, without name. On the oppositesi'de vfor the pan from .the :fuel board is apiece ci :un-i111lcar'iized rubber .patch material, which is relatively pliable :and adherent and sticks to the metallic pan when pressed thereagainst. "Ilife outer side foi the Vpatch ,material is covered with la protective covering oi Holland cloth. The ylllclland 5cl'otlfi a 'relatively tough, stiff fabric material which has .been :specially treated to give vit fa smooth surface. It adheres to .the .rubber patch material, ibut :may be Yeasily removed therefrom .by separating it .trom the patch .material at 'lone iside and peeling it oil".

In order to patch an inner tube fir-:other r-ubb'e'r material with this typefoil patch rthe inner tube 'or other material is placed iatlona .'sniooth, hard surface. `The Holland :clot-h is peeled from the surface of the patchmatetia'l. 'Ilhe .paitchgma'- terial Aand the pan to Willich it is stuck, is placed l over the hole, 'puncture orrupturein the material to .be patched with the exposed 'patch material next to .the surface being 4patched and the .pan is clamped n.or 'pressed downwardly Vtherrover .so

that the patch material is piessed'nrmly 'there-A against. The fuel board is then .ignited and as it .burns the heat therefrom is radiated through the metal ypan t'othe'fp'atch material .and the surface being patched. v'The patch materialis fused with .the patched snrfaoeiand is vulcanized thereto. The patch fis then `'a'lloiifed `to .cool .and the pan is removed therefrom. 'The vulcanizing process hardens and `toughens the Vpatch material, 'yet increases its elasticity.

if there .be fa 'hole ior l.rupture .in the patched surface which leaves, an lopening 'between the sides of the hole l'or rupture, the patch material will .flow into :the opening when fit is heated and will Aleave kan indentation 'in fthe patch material of lesser thickness than .the remainder off 4the patch, thus weakening "the patch at the point of greatest weakness-` if the hole or rupture -be relatively large, the ramountyci .rubber Yfrom the patch material will insumcicnt to completely fili .the hole .and tliepathmaterial 'winch has.

3 claims. (ci. 1154-14) v'2 thus :run into 'theihfo'lle or ruptifewil not'ifusehd vulcanize with the sides thereof, 'thus further weakening the patch at the point of @greatest weakness. patch used fon af'n .automobile'innei' tube, having such point 'of Weakness, is-iiii'e'iie'o tive vand vpresents the hazard 'of rupturing and breaking :at such A.pointillithvic'o'iisecluen't .danger ci a :blowout .which could -lcause .an acci-dent.

:My invention, among dth'er 'objects vris intend'- ed -to v4oblvafte the :above recited undesirable suits obtained in prior practice.-

.n primary .object fof my invention is to Vpro-- vide a method :of yaltnblxlirig ."a Vlilcani-Zing .patch .to an :automobile inner tube or ctherzrnbberiarticle wherein tan extra piece :of patchmaterial Ais placed 1'over 'a hole, ipuncture lor .rupture 'in :such an article, the vempiacentoilt of patch .material theiecver, zand the :application lof heat 'itc tin-r extra piece of patch material andfthepatch to thereby fuse .the patch and the extra .piece lof material Vin and above the hole or rupture to a thickened and strengthened iar'ea in 'the patch at the point of the holefor rupture.

Another important object of invention is to provide a method oi applying fa Viilcani'zLing patch to an automobile inner ttu'beio'r :otheriubber :ar-ti# cle wherein an integral extension'is provided on the patch :body which may 1Jae removed Without appreciably affecting the symmetrical-:contour vof the patch, the yremcvalao'i the'extensionffrom fthe patch body, Athe placing of `the extension over a hole, puncture or rupture inzan .inner tube o1' other article, the placing of the patch-body over the remo-ved extension, :and the :application of heat to the fpatch andthe removed extension to thereby cause the vextension aand the patch "to fuse and flow into 'the hole 'or .rupture and :fuse with the side thereof :and further provide a thickcned Yportion fof the ,patch 'at tlie :point fof the hole, puncture or rupture.- y A further object ioimy .intention is Eto provide a vulcanizing patch with an :integral extension thereon, which :may 'be .removed for the purpose of using same as :an exitalaliilount :of patch vina'- tezial over .a .lho=l:e, .punctureor rupture "an inner tube or other 'rubber anticle. f Stili v.another obtient 'of my invention is to provide a Vulcanizing .patch having :an integral `cxtension thereon which lmay be .removed Without xn'oval ci the extension, :WithoutI appreciabiy' changing the v symmetrical shape "of the' patch body.

another abject :ormy rifweiitinnis to provide an integral fextensicnxfon a auloaiilizlmglpatch,

such extension being joined on the main body of the patch by areduced neck portion, the patch and the extension thereon being covered with a continuous piece of protective covering so that when the extension is removed, a tab of protective covering remains at the place of removal which tab provides an overhanging integral extension. of the covering material for the main body of the patch, so that such tab may be easily grasped for removal of the protective covering from the main body of the patch.

A further object of my invention is to provide a vulcanizing patch with two of such filler plugs or extensions thereon whereby two filler plugs may be provided for the purpose of filling extra largeholes or :splits in an inner tube or other rubber article.A A still further object of my invention is to provide a method of patching an elongated split in an inner tube or other rubber article which comprises the making of azhole at each end of the slit and the placement over each of said holes of an extra piece of patch material, the placing of a patch thereover and the application of heat thereto, thereby fusing the patch with the extra pieces of patch material and causing the fused patch material to run into the holes and into the 4split and become vulcanized to the sides thereof, and further provide an extra thickness of patch material over the patched split.

Other and further objects of my invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed specification hereinafter following, and by referring -to the drawings.

Suitable devices for practising my invention are shown in the drawings, together with other illustrations making clear the practice and advantages of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. I is a perspective View of a vulcanizing patch assembly having a detachable filler plug extension thereon.

Fig. II is a perspective view of the vulcanizing patch assembly shown in Fig. I, showing the manner of removal of the detachable filler plug therefrom, and the extension tab of protective covering remaining after the removal of the filler plug.-

' Fig. III is an enlarged cross-sectional elevational vieW of the vulcanizing patch assembly shown in Figs. I and .II."

Fig. IV shows a fragmentary sectionalized perspective of an inner tube or other article being patched, showing the manner of application of the filler plug and the patch.

Fig. V shows a fragmentary cross-sectional 4 filler plug on diametrically opposite corners thereof.

Fig. X is afragmentary sectionalized perspective view of an inner tube or other article showing the manner of application of the form of patch shown in Fig. IX.

Fig. XI is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of an inner tube or other like article showing a v patch thereon after it has been applied in the elevationa1 view of an inner `tube or other article, after the filler plug and patch have been vulcanized thereto to patch a hole therein.

Fig. VIis a fragmentary cross-sectional elevational view of an inner tube or other article showing the result of applying a conventional vulcanizing patch thereto without placing a filler plug over the hole in thetube before applying thepatch.

Fig. VII is a fragmentary plan view of a continuous strip of patch material showing the manner of cutting patches therefrom with a single filler plug thereon.

Fig. VIII is a, fragmentary plan view of a continuous strip of patch material showing the manner of cutting patches therefrom with two filler plugs thereon.

Fig. IX is a perspective view of a modified form of vulcanizing patch assembly having a manner shown in Fig. X.

Fig. XII is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of an inner'tube or other article after a conventional vulcanizing patch has been applied over a small puncture therein.

Fig. XIII is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of an inner tube or-other articlev after a vulcanizing patch has been applied over a small puncture therein vemploying my method of placing a filler plug overthe puncture before applying the patch.

Numeral references are. employed to designate the various parts shown in the drawings and like numerals are used todesignate like parts in the various figures of the drawings.

The numeral l designates a metallic pan or platen. The rubber patch material 2 is a relatively pliable, soft and sticky unvulcanizedrubber, so that when pressed against the pan I it adheres thereto but is readily removable therefrom.

The upper surface'of the patch body 2 is covered and vprotected by a protective covering of Holland cloth 3, previouslypdescribed, which adheres to the patch material when pressed thereagainst, but may be easily removed therefrom in the manner hereinafter described.

An integral extension 4- of patch material is provided on one corner of the patch material 2. Such extension is sometimes referred-to herein as a filler plug. This extension is shown as being substantially round, but of course, it may be of any shape. The extension or filler plug' 4 is integrally joined to the patch material 2'by means of a relatively narrow extension or neck as indicated by the numeral 5. The filler plug 4"*is lcovered by:a."protective covering of Holland cloth 6, which covering 6 is integrally joined with the protective covering 3 on the patch material 2.

A layer of fuel board l is provided within the pan l, underneath, and adjacent to, the

under side of the top ofthe pan, such fuel board covering the entire under' surface of the pan. The fuel board 'l is customarily made of a composition of paper vpulp and chemicals and is readily ignitible and burns evenly. without flame.

In the employmentof the above described vulcanizing patch assembly inthe practice of my method of patching an inner tube or other rubber article, the inner tube or other rubber article to be patched is placed upon a smooth, firm surface, and the filler -plug 4 is removed from the mainbody of Vpatch material 2. The ller plug may be easily separated from the pan l and the extension of-Holland cloth 6 by grasping the pan and placing the point of the thumb nail over the joinder neck 5 and pressing downward thereagainst. This will ordinarily cause the filler plug 4 toseparate from,the surface of the pan and rise upwardly, and the further pressure with the thumb-nail will spread and thin the neck 5 to facilitate` the severance of the filler plug 4 from the patch material 2. By pulling outwardly and to :the left -onthe filler plug, as shown inbrakenv lines in .Figure II, it

y ,may be disengaged from the Holland cloth exlplug may be removed from the patch material 2 without appreciably changing the symmetrical contour of the patch material.

After the removal of the euer ping 4 the Holland cloth extension 6 remains and forms a tab of Holland cloth extending beyond the edgev of the patch material 2. Such tab extension provides a convenient point for easily grasping and removing the Holland cloth from the patch material 2.

After the ller plug 4 has been removed in the manner hereinbefore recited it is placed over the hole, puncture or rupture in the material 8 to be patched, such as the hole 9 shown in Fig. IV. The patch material 2 and the pan to which it is attached, is then placed over the filler plug with the patch material adjacent thereto and the pan is clamped or pressed downwardly thereover.

The fuel board is then ignited and the pan is heated sufliciently to cause the filler plug 4 and the patch 2 to fuse and the patch material" of the filler plug will flow into and fill the hole 9. The patch material will be fused to the surface being patched and to the sides of the hole. A thickened portion I is formed by the fusing of the patch and the filler plug directly over the hole and the extra patch material provided by the ller plug is sufficient to completely fill the hole 9 and fuse with the sides thereof, as shown at II. Thus the patch is given extra strength at the point of greatest weakness.

In the absence of the use of the ller plug in the manner hereinbefore described, the patch material would flow into the hole 9 and leave ,a recess or indentation I2 directly over the hole,

- ventionalg vulcanizing patchj placed `over the puncture .IBwherein a filler plug was not employed. It will be noted in this figure that the patch not thickened, or strengthened over the puncture asit is inl Fig. XIII. Y

In Figs. IX, X and vXI is shown a modiiied form of -vulcanizing patch assembly and the method of using same Ain the practice of my method'.` This form of patch is particularly adapted .for use in patching alarge hole or long split in an inner tube, wherein an extra amount of filler material is needed to fill the hole or split. Ordinarily it is made larger kthan the other form shown, butv of course it could be made of any size. f.

In this form a pan I 8, which is exactly the same in construction, as the pan I, is provided, with a fuel board like that shown at 'I arranged underneath the top thereof. The patch material I9 is positioned on top of the pan I8 and such patch material is Icovered with a Holland cloth protective covering 20v.

Filler plugs 2| are integrally attached to diametrically opposite corners of the patch material |9 by means of reducedneck portions 2 2.

The ller plugs 2| are covered by Holland cloth protective coverings 23, such protective coverings being integral with, and an extension of, the protective covering 2|l on the main body portion I9 `of the patch material.

The filler plugs 2| may be removed in the same manner as the filler plug 4, previously described and when so removed leave the tab extensions lof Holland cl-oth 23 which provide overhanging extensions of the Holland cloth 20 so that it may be easily grasped and removed from the patch material I9. The removal of the filler plugs 2| at the necks 22 donot appreciably change the symmetrical shape of the patch material.

In Figs. X and XI is shown the method of aD- Y plying the modified form of patch. As shown,

and if the hole were relatively large the portion is inflated the hole is enlarged and opening I4 is increased in width, allowing pressure to be exerted through the opening I4 against the weakened point I2 of the patch, thus increasing the likelihood of a blowout or rupture of the tube at such point.

It is good practice in the use of my method and patch to make a hole large enough at the point of puncture or blowout so that the patch material of the lller` plug will be allowed to run into the hole and be fused with the side thereof, thusl making a stronger patch. However this method may be employed without making such va hole in the tube or other material, and

. may be applied over a small puncture where no appreciable amount of rubber has been displaced, as shown in Fig. XIII. If so applied, the Afusing of the patch material 2 and the ller plug A4 placed over the puncture I6 will provide an patched material being weakened, blown out, or ruptured at that point.

By waylof contrast, Fig. XII shows a con-)1 the segment .24 of inner tube or other material to be patched has an elongated split 25 therein.

Before applying `the filler plugs and the patch, it is good practice to make holes 26 and 21 at each end of the split 25, so that the patch material from the filler plugs 2| may flow into the holes and fuse with lthe rubber of the sides thereof, when heat is applied thereto. The patched material is thus strengthened and reinforced iat the ends of the split and eliminates the tendencyof the split to spread and become enlarged.. However, the filler plugs could be applied over the split 25 without providing vthe holes 26 and 2l. It vhas been 4found that a stronger patch is attained by providing the holes. e

h After the split has been so conditioned for applying the patch, the material 24 to be patched is placed on a flat, rm sur-face, the filler plugs 2| are removed from the patch material I9, and a filler plug is placed over each hole 26 and 21. The patch material I9, with the pan attached thereto, -is then placed over the filler plugs and the split with the patch material adjacent to the surface being patched, the pan I8 is secured thereover and the fuel board is ignited. The

heat from the fuel board radiates throughthe ,70' the'split 25 and becomes fusedwi-th the rubber extra thickness I'I ofpatch material at the point `of the puncture, which assures against the of the material being patched. A thickened portion 28 is'forrned over the patched rupture, thus adding extrastrength to the patch atsuch point.

'-'72'53'8g961 7 ticularlyfuse'ful irifrpatehingthatpart ofl-a'ninner tube which contacts the ortwi'ieekl f Atf such place the tubeis subject todamage from rim"rust, and the-application otire'toolsffuch types" of injury weaken'y the iit-ubeand'ethe tubei'often `splits' 5 #covering 'are left to: facilitate.atheire'n'iovalv o'the protectivev covering from Ithel patch.

-` vGenerally it may befstateddthatmy Tinvention includes methods andv materialsY Whei'eby-alpuncture, cut, rent, or break infa flexibleplasticimemwhen it is stretchedf by ination intcwthe Well or vchannel of the rim or'wfheel; -A' great percentage of tube failures occur on"-fthe1lrimf'side,andfsuch ber, article or `sheet. vInaybe xrepaired;-closed,

Asealed and strengthened by providinga plurality of integrally attached vthermoplastic bdies'fv of which one such body is a'primarybodyand lofgreatly exceeds irl-size they one orl more sol attached smaller bodies, `the''cross-sectional area of attachment `beingmaterially less 'than the di- ;ameter of any suchf smaller-body, and providing a common protective cover of 'integrali character 'for allv such bodies, the cover'ib'eingf removable fromthe 'face ci the'fbodiesuso' a'stoiexpcse a clean fresh surface on r"such:bodies;andithefcover being so designed; shaped' i and arrangedf'that upon the detachment therefrom of asmallenbody and upon the detachment of=suchlsmaller-body from the primary body'there Will'be-lef-t ia ltab 'member extending beyond the #contour ofthe -primary body whereby the removaltherefrom i of the entire covermay loe-facilitated: and upon the placement of a 'detached small-body infand/or over a rent or aperture in the "member'tobe mended, and the further placement of thefl'a'tely exposed surface of the primary-body inflimmediate 'contact with the isaidsmall b'ody and the l s'aidunembcr,` and theheatin'g of-all three lmembers insuch Contact 'fusion' thr'ebetween-fmay be effected to permanently'close -the-opening-and strengthen and repair the -member- I claim: l. The methodof patching'an'automobilefinner tube or other rubber article comprisindggthe vprovision of a patch bodyAVA having anintgral 'l extension of patch material `thereon;thefrem'o'val of the integral vextension 'from Jthepatch body; the placing ofthe removed* extension* over a hole, puncture or rupture'v inthe surfaceitobe patched; the placing off-the patc-hhbodylovei' the failuresf-oftenrsult in elongated -`splits'-"-Such splits may be more-'effectively repaired and "pre- VA@vented 'fromL-sprea'd-ngf byemployingfmymethod 1 and patch assembly.

f My Amodified form" off'1'3atch ':anI 'also'- be `advantageously u'seclcfori patching ain-extra A'large -hole in an inner tube or other rubbei-rmaterial; byv `-"'1-placing-two fillerplugfs 2l"f0ver*th'e hole to" pro- `vide '-'s'uicient extra patchfffmaterial t :fill the :hole and thickenand strengthen -thepatch-thereover.

'T"The shapes of the'- pan", filler plugs,f`and patch. `illustrated; in? both formsy of v-the`4` patch assembly illustrated for carrying out`-myrnetliodare merely preferred shapesanl it is to be understocdt'hat lthe patchypan; andller plugs may be made in any desired h'shapeand 'dimensions'E Without* de. parting' fromme-spirit and scope of myinvention. The patcheswithi'a 41'fi-ller# plug orplugsthereon, `r'l-'ma'y be: 'cut from a cbntinuousfstriporf-patch ma- '-irirtl` 30A asshw'r i-ilfF-igs VII?andVIII-'flhe fastest and most economical methodf'off'cutting. thev patches isI toprov-ide ailon'gifstrip' of patch f material 3D1-'Wit a AI-l'ollz'ir-idv clothr 4coveringthereon r \vu1.nd 'about afireel.` rByffn'rezzhanicalfrneansthe i f strip: of patch nrateiial 30 is unwoundffroml the la'reel andf ruiriun'der 'af:"diefwhich?y reciproc'ates'up and dewnland cuts the patches 3 I-fand thein-tegral LILffl-ller plug' 32 'a'continu'ous sequence.

i Thef'die may falso" be'fformed to cutialler plug 33' at-'thldiam'etrically Vopposite .fcornerf of the patchfromthellerplug' 3`2 y:for the l purpose of.A -inaking -a patch` in acccrdanoelwith Vthe modified r fornlshownherein?? This is 'shown iii Iig. I VIII.

VlIfIiad VIII Ythe-piece ofpatchfniaterial- 30 need 1" be' 'only slightly'=yvide12than==th 'patch in `order to, provide sulicient material at thepcrners' 'f the lvery?flittleI-w'astagle of material hithe'provision 1 "portionf of th-eff patch land' sti'llf accomplish' the "same purpose.

The patches shownherein-fl could be cut'by hand or by'othe'r-fmeans', butobviously it is 'more economical andifaster tocut them with aidier'out,

A portion sO-that the Whole assembly'may be ccn-U fsncuyenan'ged: anu'tabf extensions: or'protectiveY removed extension; and the' application f heat tothe patch andthe removed extensionsuiiicient Pto' cause `them to fuse and' to Ibecome fused to the surface,v being-patched;tovthereby-provide athickened and" "strengthened-l portionI of 'the 'patch overandin the hole,-pu`ncture or rupture.

2.' Thev method of patching' an'/ elongatedlisplit in an inner tube or other rubber vvarticle comprising', the making of a )holel atleachy end' offthe split,the placing over e'ach of said-holes' offan extra piece of patchA materiah-theplacing of a and i the application of-l heat thereto sufllcient to fuse the=patchfvvith Vthe extra pieces ofpatch materialandtffuse -the=patch material to the surface beingpatched-an'd tc' the iside; of the vholes and split.

3."The method ofl effecting-theVi closure: of a `rent in plastic material'comprising-ftheprovision plastic material of ygreatly"dissimilarV size under a 'continuous cover; -th'e `detachment of the smaller of 4a` pair of integrally attached bodies of thermobody from the larger -body'andfrom'nthe cover, 'the placing of the smaller `body immediatelyA over the rent, the removall of the 'coverfromY the larger "body so asto" leave a" cleanr'exposedlsurface thereon, the placing ofthearger'body virrimediately over thev smaller'b'ody Witli'such "surface in immediate 'contact with the last namedbodya'nd the plastic material to ber mended; landv the-heat- 'ing' of the three `members so` infi'contact until fusion is''ef'fected therebetween.

LUTHER' M'YEVERETIl-Sa (References o'nffollwing page) References Cited in the le of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Country Date 26 706 Great Britain 1910 N n Nug Glanzarl u Augcnlfelgog 5 572,341 Great Britain 001.3,1945 1,158,108 Conley oct. 26, 1915 6791341 France Jan- 6 1930 1,163,629 LOW Dec. '7, 1915 OTHER REFERENCES 1,899,676 Dettlng Feb. 28, 1933 n n 2,126,771 Hanson Aug. 16, 1938 paggfzlgwManual by D Pont November 1942 2,503,511 Rowe Apr. 11, 1950 10 n 2,582,771 Cornell Jan. 15, 1952 

